POSTHUMOUS SILENCE

'Posthumous Silence' is my first encounter with Sylvan, and based on that, I have a hard time understanding the 'neo-prog' etiquette attached to them (don't get me wrong though, I enjoy quite a few neo-prog acts), but I have to listen to their other recordings to find out if this label is justified. That being said, on to the album :

'Posthumous Silence' is a concept album relating the story of a father going through the pages of his daughter's diary after her suicide. A very touchy and emotional subject, and, you might think, leaves place for overly emotional (read laughable and pathetic) music. Not !!! From one song to the other, we are taken from the pages of the daughter's diary, filled with despair, anger, rage, to the feelings of the father (mostly sorrow and regret), and it all makes for destabilizing mood shifts very well portrayed in the music, lyrics and vocals. That's for the concept, and it works brilliantly.

On the musical side, many mixed influences can be heard on this album (Porcupine Tree, Pink Floyd, Pain of Salvation, Anathema, Spock's Beard), adding up to create a sound that Sylvan can truly call their own. Marco Glühmann (lead vocals) is a revelation and a surprise for me, a vocalist one could put in the same category as Daniel Gildenlow and Mike Patton for his versatility, feel and capabilities. He also reminds a bit of Anathema's Vincent Cavanagh at times. The rest of the band is a joy to listen to : great bass lines, tight and creative drumming (though not too complex, but efficient), great guitars (amazing leads) and keys also (breathtaking piano). Dialogs are inserted throughout the album, and due to the nature of the concept, they can be a bit disturbing at times, but it only makes for a more gripping listen.

Hats off to Sylvan for this amazing album that could have easily been cheesy and pompous, but instead turns out to be, in my opinion, one of the best albums from 2006. Without a doubt in my mind this album gets the five star rating from me. If you don't know the band, GET THIS !!! You are in for a surprise.